When answering Long Conversation questions, try and use the strategies outlined the best you can.

TOEFL ITP Long Conversation / Talk Strategies

Managing Timing

  1. Before the conversation or talk begins, if you have time, preview the answers to the questions to help you anticipate the topic of the conversation you will hear.
  2. After the conversation or talk has started, only focus on the current question in front of you. Do not go back to previous questions or preview the next ones. This will cause you to lose focus and possibly forget which question you should be answering.
  3. After each question is read by the narrator, you only have 12 seconds to choose from the four answer choices. Do not waste unnecessary time on one or two answers. Be sure to look at all of them quickly, then take more time to choose.

Managing Timing

  1. Before the conversation or talk begins, if you have time, preview the answers to the questions to help you anticipate the topic of the conversation you will hear.
  2. After the conversation or talk has started, only focus on the current question in front of you. Do not go back to previous questions or preview the next ones. This will cause you to lose focus and possibly forget which question you should be answering.
  3. After each question is read by the narrator, you only have 12 seconds to choose from the four answer choices. Do not waste unnecessary time on one or two answers. Be sure to look at all of them quickly, then take more time to choose.

Determining Meaning

  1. For Long Conversations, consider the purpose of function of the discussion as well as the situation regarding who is talking, where they are, and what their relationship is. Often one speaker will be giving or asking for advice, offering opinions, providing information, or there may even be an expression of agreement or disagreement. Listen for non-verbal cues such as raised of lowered intonation which could show surprise or disappointment.
  2. For Talks, consider the purpose of function of the talk as well as the situation regarding who is talking, where they are, and what their relationship is to the audience.
  3. Be able to distinguish between fact and inference. A fact question asks for something that was directly mentioned in the conversation whereas inferred or implied information is that which the listener has to figure out from the clues given by the speakers.
  4. Questions about details are always asked in the same order they are presented in the conversation or talk.

Choosing Correctly

  1. Multiple choice questions usually consist of three types of answers. First, there are two choices which are wrong that can be easily be eliminated, or removed as possibilities, by looking at the basic information. Second, there is the correct answer; however, it is the third choice that is the problem because it is designed to distract the test-taker by using similar vocabulary, phrases, pronunciation or grammatical structures as the conversation or talk. These questions are what cause the most problems. The key is to eliminate the first type of question so that there are only two choices remaining and time can be better spent on the important questions.
  2. If you can not choose the correct answer, it is very important not to leave any answers blank. You will be marked on your correct answers and are not penalized for your incorrect ones. Always guess, intelligently, and answer every question.
  3. Use any remaining time to look ahead at the answers to the questions that follow.
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